The GreEn-ER project is the first PPP (Public-Private Partnership) signed in France as part of the Campus Operation for renewing universities. Led by the University of Grenoble and jointly coordinated by Grenoble INP and CEA, the aim of this project is to bring together, in a single location, the stakeholders of training and research in the field of renewable energy. It has become a global innovation cluster in this field.

The stakeholders

Grenoble INP is the project initiator and its partners are the Joseph Fourier University and the CROUS (for housing and student life aspects).

Research and training organisations (CEA, CNRS, INRIA, IRSTEA, CHU and GEM), in conjuction with INSERM and CSTB.

Collaboration with the competitive clusters and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Support from various local authorities (Rhône-Alpes Region, Grenoble Alpes Conurbation and the City of Grenoble).

EIFFAGE will fund, build (with involvement from the EIFFAGE CONSTRUCTION and EIFFAGE ENERGIE branches) and maintain (with involvement from EIFFAGE SERVICES) the l’École de l’Énergie de Grenoble (Grenoble School of Energy). With regard to design, EIFFAGE has associated with Groupe-6, the internationally renowned architecture firm and with the design offices Jacobs and Iosis.

The Caisse des Dépôts granted Eiffigreen, a fully-owned subsidiary of Eiffage and the holder of the partnership contract, a saving funds loan for a maximum amount of Euro 27.5 million for a term of 25 years.

Where

46 structures to be built or renovated are currently underway or in the kick-off phase on the Grenoble Peninsula and the University Campus of Saint-Martin-d'Hères/Gières, ideally located in front of a tram stop and the mobility area.

When

Start of the program in October 2009Signature of the contract in July 2012Delivery scheduled for June 2015

Key figures

170,000 m² of new and renovated premises

400 million euros for the Grenoble project

Additional bonuses of 21 million euros in December 2010 then 11 million euros in December 2011

Technical laboratory and research platforms

Taking things a step further

GreEn-ER will meet the challenges of renewable energy production as well as storage, control and energy efficiency. The innovativeness of this project lies in the fact that it designed a showcase building of the best energy efficiency technologies. It is the embodiment of the scientific and technical expertise of the engineers and masters holders trained by Grenoble INP – Ense³ and UJF, as well as the doctors from the related laboratories.Extreme care was paid to the impact of the building on the planet's resources during its phase of operation. To this end, the design of the building was especially studied, the thermal bridges were eliminated and the tightness of the enclosure was reinforced on the one hand and natural lighting was optimised on the other hand. The solar protection systems were motorised as well. However, the most innovative aspect of the building is undoubtedly its heating and cooling system. This system is based on the recovery of fatal heat (heat loss, for instance heat that is released from the computer equipment and the refrigerating units in the kitchen), the GreEn-ER building is heated in the winter and cooled in the summer by a low temperature loop that is pooled on the peninsula.In addition to the performance achieved upon its delivery, the building is designed as a place of experiment for students and researchers. As a matter of fact, it has a special area in order to modify the control algorithms and compare them with existing algorithms, modify the heat or cold production equipment and add probes and automations, etc. It is a genuine testing ground for future technologies that should help to make the buildings of the future more performant. These buildings will be able to monitor energy consumption and rain water resources and have a laboratory to test future technologies.GreEn-ER is also geared towards promoting soft mobility in the scope of the "Écocité Grenoble Presqu’ile" (Grenoble Ecocity) approach. It will feature more than 600 bike racks and only a few car parking spaces and will highlight solar mobility as the parking areas will be covered with photovoltaic shade structures.